Delawar Jan
PESHAWAR: Now it’s
official that Pervez Khattak is going to be the next Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief
minister but this decision might sow dissension in the party as bona fide
activists and leaders are outraged at the choice.
The party leadership’s
failure to acknowledge the services of Asad Qaiser, a founding PTI activist and
elected provincial president of the party, has upset the old workers. Qaiser
was preferred on Pervez Khattak, a newcomer to the party, for the coveted post
of the chief minister.
“Tehreek-e-Insaf ka
pehla insaf,” said a placard held by a PTI worker who was protesting with other
people outside Peshawar Press Club. “Asad Qaiser ki 17 sala khidmat (the word
khidmat was crossed in red ink that suggests disregard to Qaiser’s services by
PTI), Pervez Khattak jumma jumma 8 din,” it added.
This maiden appointment
negates several of Imran Khan’s promises. He had proudly said the elected party
leadership would be people’s leaders, something he said other parties lacked. In
Qaiser’s case, it did not happen. He favoured Khattak, the handpicked central
secretary general, against the elected Qaiser. Imran had repeatedly said in the
past that he took 17 years deliberately to make leaders from the existing lot
of the PTI workers, who would be new and clean. Qaiser rose from being a PTI
activist to its provincial leader, which took him 17 years, but blocked to
become CM.
As one worker put it, he
also broke his word to fight against the status quo by nominating Khattak as
CM. There is also contradiction between his words and deeds as he encouraged
new faces to contest election to change the system but deprived Qaiser of the
exalted post on the same excuse of being inexperience.
Khattak entered the
party fold just 18 months ago and has no comparison with Asad Qaiser when it
comes to hard work and services for the party, workers said. The chief
minister-designate has little, or no, services for PTI but impressed Imran Khan
so much that he forced his party loyalist, Asad Qaiser, to withdraw from the
run for KP chief minister, they complained.
Khattak has changed three parties since 2008. The
PTI voting members rejected him in the intra-party election as provincial
president and elected Asad Qaiser, an indication that Khattak was unacceptable
to workers. His joining the party in December 2011 had also caused division in
the party.
However, Khattak has experience in politics and
parliamentary affairs. He is being considered a good negotiator which is
important at the time of government formation because the party has to
negotiate to other parties.
Qaiser, on the other hand, is party’s loyal activist
who joined PTI when Imran Khan founded it in 1996 and remained with it through
thick and thin. Along with other founding members, he strengthened the party in
the province, spending years to persuade people in streets to become its
member. When the party was being taunted as ‘tonga party’ he owned and led it.
He would feel no shame to address a gathering of a few individuals.
Many workers said Imran Khan failed his first test
by disregarding merit. The foundation of the PTI government was laid on
injustice, workers and supporters said.
“This was a test case for Imran Khan to prove he
does justice and makes decisions on merit,” said Ayub Hilal, a PTI voter. “If this party really believes in justice,
then it should have been done with Asad Qaiser,” said Tabbasum Bashir, a PTI
activist from Swat where the party won the two National Assembly and four
provincial assembly seats.
The decision has disheartened Asad Qaiser, but he
has chosen to show a stoic resignation to his fate. “I accept all decisions taken
by the party,” he said in a text message. “I urge workers to stay united and keep
the party functioning,” he added.
However, his call for unity hardly provides solace to
many workers who express frustration and dejection. The announcement has
reportedly prompted many people to remove PTI flags from their houses. “Pervez
Khattak came from another party and cannot bring change,” said Hilal. Khattak
doesn’t represent the change, said many workers who voted PTI to power in a
hope it would act unconventionally and bring change.
Shah Farman and Atif Khan, two old party leaders,
had lent support to Asad Qaiser but Imran shrugged it off. Qaiser, Farman and
Atif stayed away from a press conference where PTI, QWP and JI coalition was
announced that show their displeasure. Khattak and Qaiser sat together on
Friday to tell the media they have no difference.
People in the city argue in private discussions that
Imran’s decision in favour of Khattak might cause doubts in people’s minds
about his intention to bring change. They also question his logic behind
preferring a newcomer over a dedicated activist.
The internal strife has soured the party’s victory
in election as leaders focused more on jockeying for chief ministership than
concentrating on government formation and meeting the perilous challenges.
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